I'm no longer the same
by Akkuji
Summary: Kuroko had distanced himself after what happened during his time at Teiko Junior High. He never felt so empty in his life. It stayed like this until he met Seirin. His heart had only begun to heal but, in the end, it was shattered. Kuroko had lost himself completely. He disappeared right after the Winter Cup. Kuroko Tetsuya was lost, gone. Only to be replaced by a better one.
1. Chapter 1

/ Chapter 1: Betrayal /

(Kuroko Tetsuya's POV)

Memories/Flashback -

It was after the Winter Cup… when everything started to fall apart…

Seirin High has just won the Winter Cup! We defeated Rakuzan High and become the number one team in Japan! Everyone was crying and hugging each other. It was a happy moment until…

On our way to our locker room, I suddenly realised I forgot my water bottle back at the bench.

"Ano Kagami, I'll be right back!" I said as I turned around and ran. "Ah wait! Where are you going?!" Kagami yelled after me. "I forgot something!" And continued running towards the stadium.

After retrieving my bottle, I made my way back to the locker room. I was about to open the door when I heard Koganei's voice. "Since we won the Winter Cup, don't you think we should kick Kuroko off the team? I mean he's great and all but sooner or later he's gonna be in the way and drag us behind. Don't you guys agree?" I gasped. 'I didn't believe what I was hearing… Are they really going to do it? After all the fun time we had…' Tears started streaming down face as I stared down at the floor. I was about to walk away- "What?! Do you know what you're saying? The reason we even got here was because of Tetsuya" Riko yelled. "Yea Riko is right. It's thanks to Kuroko and Kagami that we made it this far." Kiyoshi said after. "Yes I agree with Riko and Kiyoshi. Those two helped us. The light and the shadow." I heard Hyuga say. "But all he can do is pass, he can't even shoot. He's quite useless to be honest" Furihata said as he shook his head. "Don't you think so too Kagami?" "Huh? Oh um… yea. I mean he just pass, he doesn't do anything else. We can move forward without him."

I covered my ears and tried to block out their conversation. Even his light thought he's useless. 'Why? WHY?! Why is this happening again? Why does everyone think i'm useless' Tetsuya suddenly had a flashback of his past, when the Generation of Miracles didn't need her anymore. 'I'm that useless huh?' Tetsuya dropped his bottle and ran for the exit. People watched him but he didn't care. He needed to get out of here, away from everyone. When he pushed open the door, he disappeared. That was the last time anyone saw him.

-Meanwhile-

"Hey did you guy hear that?" Kawahara asked as he walked towards the door. Everyone shook their heard. Kawahara opened the door to find a water bottle spilled on the floor. "Hey isn't this Kuroko's bottle?" He said, picking up the bottle and showing everyone. "Oh no… no… He heard didn't he? Riko opened her phone and tried calling Tetsuya. [The number you're trying to contact is currently unavailable. Please try later] "He's not picking up!" Riko yelled and tried again. "Damn it!" Riko threw her phone down. "Koganei! I'm making you train 10 times harder!" Riko said, "Oh and you guys too!" As she pointed at Furihata and Kagami. "What?!" "NO BUT!" Kagami felt guilty for saying it, he didn't realised what he said. He was so lost in thought and he just agreed with Furihata. 'I'm sorry Tetsuya. Please be alright.'


	2. Chapter 2

/ Chapter 2: Return /

\- 3 years later -

It has been 3 years since Kuroko Tetsuya left Japan. Now he's back for family reasons. He despised Japan, everything here reminds him of the past.

His father is the CEO of Kuroko's Corp., his mother is currently in Paris for her modelling work, and his older brother is in college.

Tetsuya's POV:

Rays of morning light shone onto my face, waking me up from my slumber. I slowly opened my eyes only to squint it from the sunlight. I turned to look at the clock, [7:15 am]. (knock knock) A maid came in and bowed down, "Tetsuya-sama, breakfast is ready for you downstairs. Hitoshi-sama and Taku-sama are already downstairs." The maid bowed down once again and left. I kicked off my blankets and pulled myself out of bed. I stretched my back before I headed to the bathroom. I decided to wear a plain white shirt, black jeans with a chain, a black leather jacket and a carmine scarf, along with black boots. I stood in front of the mirror trying to fix my bed hair, "Argh! It won't stay down!" After many tries, it finally did. I stared at myself in the mirror, crimson and cerulean eyes stared back. I've changed quite a bit since 3 years ago, I'm not that polite and kind Kuroko that everyone knows. "I can't wait to see their reactions~" I licked my lips. "Just thinking about it makes me so excited~," I said, with a malicious smile. I checked the time once more [7:30 am] before I made my way downstairs.

Just as I entered the dining room, I heard my name being called out. "Tetsuya! Come sit quickly! Father has some wonderful news!" Taku said, bouncing with happiness. "Childish as always." I sighed. Taku is my big brother, he always acts like a child even though he's 20. Two years older than me and he's like this. I seated myself on my father's right side with Taku sitting opposite of me. "What is this wonderful news that Taku is talking about, Father?" I asked leaning forward, resting my chin on top of my hands. "Well you see, your mother will be returning home next week," he said with a big smile. "Father! Father! Tell him the other wonderful news!" Taku shouted happily. "Tetsuya, next week you'll be attending Ikuyo Gakuen with Taku here. Along with Shu and Shino." Silence followed after. "You mean this idiot here?" I asked with disbelief, pointing at Taku. "Wah! So mean!" Taku whined, fake tears running down his face. "Yes, this idiot here." Father chuckled. "Not you too father!" Taku whined even more. Taku sat in the corner of the room, with a depressed aura around him. Father and I shared a laugh. Father clapped his hands together, "Enough talk, let us eat now."

"Itadakimasu!"

By the time I finished breakfast, it was [8:15 am]. "I better get going~," I said with a mischievous tone while getting up from my seat. "Hoh? You're planning something aren't you?" Taku smiled devilishly. I smirked but didn't reply, I started heading towards the front entrance. I called out to one of the butlers, "Get a car ready for me." The butler bowed down, "Right away Tetsuya-sama" and hurried off. 'Time to have some fun~~' I thought as I stepped through the front entrance.

Normal POV:

Today is such a beautiful day, the sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky with white clouds drifting about. The perfect weather for a graduation day. And in front of the school gate of Seirin, there stood a dark red-haired teen.

Kagami's POV:

I leaned against the wall, looking up at the sky. 'Is it me or is the sky kinda brighter than usual today?' I thought, 'Why does it remind of someone?' Just then I felt a sudden pang of guilt in my heart. I placed a hand over my heart and continue looking up at the sky,"What was that?" Still confused about the sudden pang, I pushed myself up from the wall and started walking towards the gym. Just as I was about to enter, I heard my name being called out. I turned around to find Riko running up to me, waving her arms in the air with Hyuga trailing behind her. "Huh? Why are you guys here?" I asked, confused. Hyuga smacked my head, "Is that how you greet us after not seeing one another for so long?" I rubbed the back of my head, "Sorry sorry. So why are you guys here?" "We're here for your graduation Bakagami." Riko said aloud, cheerfully. "Oi! I'm not a bakagami!" I shouted. "Hai hai~" Riko sarcastically replied, as she bounced her way into the gym. Hyuga sighed and started following her. I stood there, dumbfounded. "What was that all about?" Asking nobody in particular. I snapped myself out when I heard Hyuga telling me to hurry up.

The sound of chairs scraping against the floor could be heard as I entered the gym, along with loud chatter and laughter. Students were setting up the gym for the graduation ceremony. Chairs were placed in a horizontal line with a big gap in the middle, facing the stage. I placed my bag down against the wall and went to help set up.

Everything was set up, all the chairs were evenly placed, spotlights hanged above the stage with a podium in the middle. Everyone was seated down, waiting for the headmaster. I looked up towards the balcony, expecting to see Riko and Hyuga. My jaw dropped in shock. They were there like I expected, but what I didn't expect to see was Hyuga wrapping an arm around Riko. I stared, unable to progress the information. As if they felt my stare, they turned towards my direction. Riko's eyes widen when she saw me, her face turned red. I watched Hyuga's soul fly out of his body as he hit the floor. Riko stood up from her punching stance and turned back towards me. I gulped when I noticed the dark aura around her. She stared at me and mouthed, "Tell anyone and I'll make sure you'll suffer." Riko smiled as she glided her thumb across her throat and pointed at me. I nodded so fast that I felt like my head would've snapped off. I turned my attention back to the stage, hoping not to get killed.

Just then, the gym lights slowly started dimming and the spotlights turned on. The headmaster walked onto the stage and stopped in front of the podium. All the noise died down as he cleared his throat. "Good morning students! As you all know, today is a very special day. It's the day where you will finally leave the nest and enter adulthood. I will personally hand you your academic degree and see you off. I have to say, I am proud of you all." he said, smiling. Students erupted into cheers and applause, "Now then, let us start the ceremony!" The headmaster started calling students up one by one, he shook their hands and handed them their academic degree. I nervously waited for my name to be called out. I continued watching as students got up and accepted their academic degree, hoping my name would be called soon. I wanted to look back up at the balcony, but I didn't want to die yet. A chill went down my spine as I remembered the punishment that Riko had given me in the past. I shook my head, trying to forget the horrible memory.

"Kagami Taiga" My head shot up as I heard the headmaster called my name. "Here!" I shouted and pulled myself up from my seat. I awkwardly walked up the stairs and onto the stage, to where the headmaster stood. The headmaster grabbed my right-hand and shook it, "Congratulation Kagami! Here is your academic degree. Good luck in the future!" I heard him say, as he handed me the degree. I thanked him and turned towards the crowd. While waiting for the photographer to take my picture, I looked around and a teal-haired teen caught my attention. He stood at the entrance of the door. I stared at him, 'Why does he look so familiar?' I pondered. That was when it hit me, 'Kuroko...?' I saw one side of his mouth pull up into a smirk. "Kagami? Is there something wrong?" The photographer asked. "Oh! Uhh n-no. It's nothing" I stuttered, snapping out of my thoughts. "Okay then, well you can go now" I nodded my head as I started going off-stage. I looked back to where I saw Kuroko but he was gone. I quickly descended the stairs and ran to where Kuroko once stood. 'Was that really Kuroko?' I thought to myself, 'Well I only know one person with that hair colour.' I looked outside the entrance but I found no trace of him. 'Damn it! Where did he go?' I hurriedly ran towards the front gate, hoping to catch him there. As I ran, thoughts clouded my mind. 'What should I say to him? Will he forgive me? Wait, does he still remember me? What if he doesn't forgive me?' Where did he go all these years? I shook my head, "No! Find him first, then figure out what to say." The front gate came into view but I didn't see him anywhere. I continued running, I had to find him no matter what, I needed to set things straight again.

Just as I turned the corner, I staggered back almost falling over. Once I regained my balance, I tensed up when I saw who it was. A dark midnight-haired teen stood in front of me, staring. "Yo Bakagami! Watch where you're going, man!" He said, pissed. Silence passes, no one said anything. Aomine started waving one of his hand in front of my face, "Oi! What's wrong with yah? It's like you've seen a ghost." That was when I snapped out of my daze, "Huh? What?! What are you doing here Ahomine?!" I shouted. "I'm not an Ahomine! You Bakagami! Baka Baka Bakagami!" Aomine shouted back, even more pissed. We continue bickering for a while. "Tch! Whatever Bakagami! So why were you in a rush?" I was about to retort back but then I realized, 'Oh yeah. What was I doing?' I scratched the top of my head. "You looked like you've seen a ghost too." I heard Aomine say. 'Ghost? What? A ghost? Sky?' Words started popping into my mind, "AH! KUROKO!' I grabbed Aomine's shoulder and started telling him everything, "IsawKuroko!IwasjustchasingafterhimuntilIbumpedintoyou,youAhomine!" I stopped take to catch my breath. "Huh? What the hell did you just say?" Aomine said, picking his ear. I was about to repeat it again but I heard a voice before I could. "Daiki." The voice was cold and stern, I knew who it was without looking. It sends shivers down my spine every time I hear it, I looked over Aomine's shoulders to find the one and only, Akashi Seijuro. Behind him were the rest of the Generation of Miracles, along with Momoi. Murasakibara was eating, as usual, Midorima was holding his lucky item that happened to be a vanilla milkshake plush, and Kise is being annoying as always. "Yo A-Akahi!" Aomine stuttered. "Daiki. You were supposed to meet us at Maji Burgers." Akashi said with a stern voice, "Care to explain." Aomine started sweating nervously, "Oh uh... I-I bumped into Bakagami here. He seemed into a rush, so I asked why. He told me but he talked so fast that I didn't catch anything." I felt everyone turned their gaze towards me. I quickly let go of Aomine's shoulder and took a step back. "Ne ne~ What's wrong Kagamichii?" Kise asked, walking towards me. "Uh well... I saw uh someone..." I stuttered. I didn't know if I should them but if I don't they'll kill me. "Who did you see Kagami kun?" This is Momoi asked. "Uh, someone... um" I nervously rubbed the back of my head. "Spit it out already nanodayo!" Midorima shouted, his patience was going down. "It was no one! Don't worry about it!" I nervously said. "Kagami. I won't ask again. Tell us who it was." Akashi said as he started pulling out a red pair of scissors. "Argh! Fine! I'll tell you! I saw Kuroko!" I blurted out. Everyone froze, their eyes widen in shock. Akashi was the first one to snap out it, "Kagami. Can you repeat that again?" I gulped and nodded, "I said I saw Kuroko." Everyone was speechless. "W-Where is he now?" Aomine asked, desperately. "I was chasing him until I crashed into you." No one knew what to say, their phantom sixth man was back. "Well? What are we watching for? Let's split up and find him." Akashi said with determination in his voice, "Aomine and Kagami, Midorima and Murasakibara, Kise and Momoi. Now go!" Everyone quickly got into their group and hurried off.

Akashi's POV:

I watched as everyone started leaving. However, I continued standing where I was. I looked up towards the sky, "Tetsuya..." I whispered.

-Flashback-

"Tetsuya. I suggest you quit basketball. You're nothing but useless and weak. You're in the way, so do us a favour and quit." I watched as a single tear rolled down his face. "S-sei! What are you saying?" Tetsuya's voice was soft, almost fragile. "You heard me. I said you're weak and useless, you'll only be in the way. I recommend you to quit basketball." I watched as more tears continued running down his face as he dropped to the floor. I turned my heels and walked away.

-Flashback End-

I left him, broken and alone. I should've been there for him but instead, I left him. Thinking back to it now, I'm filled with regrets. Kuroko was always there for us, all of us, and we weren't there for him. It was thanks to Kuroko that we became our old self again before we were swallowed by the darkness. A vibrating sensation in my pocket brought my attention back to reality. I quickly pulled my phone out and placed it near my ear. "What is it?" I asked. "Akashi-sama, your father is requesting your presence immediately." I sucked in a breath, my father doesn't request my presence unless it's very important. "Send a car for me. Tell father I'll be home in 5 minutes." With that, I ended the call. I sighed and shoved my phone back into my pocket. I leaned against the wall, waiting for the car. "Tetsuya... Why did you leave?" I said, talking to nobody in particular. I sighed again, I've been sighing a lot today. A black limo pulled up in front of me, I pushed my up from the wall. I opened the car door, I looked up at the sky once more before I entered. The black limo then drove off.

-Meanwhile-

Normal POV:

Little did they know, a pair of mismatched eyes watched them the whole time. Across the road, on the stone fence sat a teal-haired teen. He was spinning a small dagger around fingers, skillfully.

Kuroko's POV:

I played with a small dagger as I watched a group of rainbow-haired people. I snickered when Kagami told them he saw me, their reaction was worth it. It didn't go accordingly to my plans but I got to see their reactions anyways. I wanted more, I wanted to see their reactions when they're in pain when they suffer, not from shock but it was still fun though. I watched as everyone split into pairs and left. "Aw~ It's already over~," I said, pouting. I was about to leave when I noticed Akashi still standing where he was. 'What is he doing?' I wondered. I froze when I heard him whispered, "Tetsuya..." I wanted to throw the dagger through his head, he has no right to call me by my first name. I glared at him as he got into the black limo and left. I bit my lips until it bled, a trail of blood slid down from my mouth down to my chin. 'Now I just want to play more~' I said inside my head as I licked the blood from the side of my lips. I jumped down from the wall and landed down on the concrete. I slid my dagger down inside my sleeve. "Guess I'll go home now." I shoved both of my hands into my pockets and headed home.

Author's A/N~

Thank you very much for reading. The updates will be slow, very slow. I have some other things to take off and I have school, so there's homework and such. Hope you all understand. Thank you again for reading~

\- AkujiAkuma


	3. Chapter 3

/ Chapter 3: Welcoming Party /

Kagami's POV:

It has been a week since I saw Kuroko. Ever since then, I started growing more anxious. I always found myself looking around, hoping to see him. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. I just don't get it. 'Why is Kuroko hiding from me?' I sighed once again, adjusting the bag on my shoulders.

A massive building stood in front of me. Today was the first day of college for me, I'll be attending a famous school called; Ikuyo Gakuen. I, somehow, managed to get accepted. The building consisted of 3 floors; that included a swimming pool, an enormous library, a theatre, two gyms and many classrooms. I can feel myself gawking at the building. I snapped out of my daze and pushed myself to walk through the gate. Upon entering, I barely walked a few steps in before hearing an energetic voice behind me, calling for me, "Kagamicchi! Kagamicchi!" I whipped around to see two familiar faces walking towards me, "Ah, it's Bakagami…".

"I'm not Bakagami! You Ahomine!" I yelled. Aomine snapped out of his sleepiness and retorted back, "What?! Want to say that again?! You BAKAGAMI!" Aomine collided his head against my head, scowling. I returned the favour. "Aominecchi! Kagamicchi!" Kise tried breaking us apart but only ended up falling down. "Are you two fighting already fighting this early in the morning?" an unamused voice asked. Aomine and I both turned towards the voice to find Midorima looking at us, holding a fairy plushie. We both burst into laughter. "What are you, a little girl?" Aomine said, holding onto his stomach as he continued laughing. A tint of pink covered Midorima's cheeks, "No! Cancer happens to be 5th today, and my lucky item was a fairy plushie!"

"I thought I was going to die!" I held my stomach as I slowly stopped laughing. Aomine, on the other hand, still needed to calm down. "Shut up already!" Midorima shouted at Aomine. Shortly after, Aomine had finally calmed down, "Ahh, my stomach hurts." Midorima pushed up his glasses and looked away, "Idiots." Out of nowhere, Kise jumped off the ground, "Look! There are Akashi and Murasakibara!" Everyone turned to where Kise was pointing and indeed there they were.

"Atsushi. It's not good to walk and eat. Put it away for now." Akashi told him. "Haii Aka-chin~" Murasakibara proceeded to stuff all his snacks into his bag. Upon noticing us, they both stop in their tracks. "Well, what do we have here?" Akashi asked, clearly amused. "Ah~ Mido-chin, Kise-chin, Kaga-chin and Ao-chin~ Ohayo~" Midorima greeted them. "Good morning Akashi, Murasakibara." Midorima greeted back, being the polite person he is. Akashi nodded his head at Midorima before turning his attention to me, "What brings you here?" Akashi knew the answer but asked anyway. "I'm attending this school," I replied back, trying not to make eye contact. Everyone turned all their attention towards me, 'Why does this feel familiar…?'

"Wow! I thought you were just a Bakagami!" Aomine exclaimed. The others nodded their head in agreement. "Shut up!" I shouted, "What about you guys? Why are you here?" Midorima stared at me as if I grew two head, "Can't you tell?" I stared at him in confusion. Midorima mentally facepalmed, "You're really an idiot… We're-" Kise butted in, "We're attending this school too!" Midorima slowly turned towards to Kise, "Kise. Don't interrupt me while I'm talking!" Midorima shouted at Kise. "Waah! Gomen!" Kise wailed. Just before Midorima could lecture Kise, the bell went off. Taking my chance, I took off, no longer wanting to be around them. I sighed. 'Why do I always end up with them?'.

I stood in front of my classroom after going around the whole school. I hesitantly opened the door and walked in. The teacher turned to me, "Kagami Taiga. Where have you been?" I rubbed the back of my neck, "I got lost, miss." She let out a sigh, "Understandable. From now on, do try to be on time okay?" I nodded my head. The teacher looked at me once more before looking back at her class. "Over there, you can sit there, Kagami. Can you raise your hand…" She looked down at her paper before looking back up, "Aomine." I felt my body stiffened. 'Did she just say Aomine…?' I slowly turned to look at the raised hand, and there he was, the one and only, Aomine. Looking to his left, there was Akashi, in the far back corner, next to the window. That was when I realised, all of the GOM was here. I felt like my soul left my body. "Kagami? Is there something wrong?" I shook my head and slowly walked over to the empty seat. Aomine smirked at me, placing his raised hand down. Sitting down, I placed my bag on the side of the table and looked ahead, ignoring Aomine. The teacher clapped her hands, getting the students' attention. "Now that everyone is here, let's start. First of all, my name is and I'll be your homeroom teacher this year." looked around the class, making sure everyone was listening before continuing. "I have an announcement from the headmistress." Students began whispering to one another. "Students, please, let me finish." She waited for them to quiet down before speaking again. "As I was saying, the headmistress is throwing a welcoming party for all the new students. It will be held a week from now. All the information will be in here." She held up an envelope with a red seal. "Any questions?" Students shook their head. "Very well, please grab one and pass it along." handed the envelopes to the front row students before returning back to the front of the class. While the students are passing along the envelopes, she went ahead and started the lesson.

I let out a sigh the moment the bell rang, indicating that classes had ended for the day. Most students had already finished packing their things and started leaving the classroom. Looking around, I noticed the GOM has already left too, 'That was quick.' I pushed myself up from my seat and began placing my things into my bag. The teacher gave us a few homework but it's nothing I can't do. I swung my bag over my shoulders and left the room.

While walking to the front gate, there were some students around, 'They are probably attending extra classes or clubs.' Once the front gate came into view, there was a silhouette leaning against the gate. I sighed, stopping in front of the silhouette, "What do you want?" Aomine rubbed the back of his neck, "I was waiting for you." I turned my head and looked at him, "Why? To annoy me?" I searched his face, he seemed… nervous. Looking away, I continued walking to wherever I was going. I peeked over my shoulders to look at Aomine, only to find him following behind me.

Stopping in front of Maji Burgers, I turned around to face him, "Why are you following me?" Aomine stared at me for a short second before answering, "I don't know." I stared at him, speechless. Letting out a sigh, I opened the entrance the door and walked in. Not before asking him, "Are you coming in or what?" Aomine's face slightly lit up and he nodded, following me in. After ordering my usual amounts of burgers, I sat myself down at the table I would always sit at. Aomine sat across me, with a bunch of burgers and a soft drink. I don't know why I always sit here. I mean… this is where I met him. I closed my eyes, remembering the memories our times together before everything went downhill. Upon opening my eyes, I was no longer at Maji Burgers. I was surrounded by darkness instead. 'What is going on?' I tried my best to look around but it was no use. 'Where am I?' At the moment, a light lit up in the distance. Curious, I walked towards the light. As I neared, I could see a dark figure. "Hello?" I called out but there was no response. There were fluttering noises around me. It was odd. The area around me slowly started to glow up. Glowing things floating around the darkness. I walked up to one and held it in my hands. It was a butterfly, their wings were glowing… blue. Around me the scene changed, I was now in a basketball court. A figure stood under the ring, their back towards facing towards me. "Who are you?" I asked, slightly nervous. The mysterious figure did not reply. Though looking at them, he seemed… familiar. Turquoise hair, a small frame… That was when it hit me. The figure slowly turned around, revealing themselves. I looked at them, words stuck in my throat. The figure was no other than Kuroko Tetsuya. His eyes were cold and dead. The small smile on his face was empty. "K-Kuroko!" I cried out, my voice laced with disbelief. He continued smiling at me, his eyes watching me. "Where have you been? Everyone has been worried sick! I've been worried sick!" I told him. The moment those words left my mouth, Kuroko let out a hollow laugh. "What a liar you've become, Kagami-kun. Don't you remember what you said?" I looked at him, not understanding what he meant. Kuroko lifted up his hands. A bright light flashed the room. I threw my arms up, shielding my eyes. "What was that fo-" I stopped halfway. There were voices around me. _"But all he can do it pass, he can't even shoot. He's quite useless." That voice… It sounded like Furihata. "Don't you think so too Kagami?"_ My body stiffened when Furihata called out my name. _"I mean, he just passes the ball. He doesn't do anything else. We can move forward without him."_ My arms dropped down by my side. "Did I really say that?" I asked myself. I looked up to see Kuroko watching me. He turned around and began walking away. "W-wait! Kuroko! Why are you leaving again?!" I yelled after him. Kuroko stopped in his tracks. Without turning around, he replied, "Why am I leaving again? That's quite a stupid question Kagami-kun. Do you expect me to return back to the past? Back to the people who've hurt me, betrayed me, left me. Why would I go back to something like that?" Kuroko's voice was soft, almost fragile as if his heart would break any minute. Perhaps his heart was already broken. I cast my eyes to the ground, unable to look at him. "I'm sorry." I choked out. He let out a laugh. "I'm afraid that won't change a thing," he said, his words suddenly cruel and sharp, "Goodbye Kagami." With that, Kuroko shattered into millions of butterflies, their wings no longer glowing blue but black. 'I did this. This is my fault.' I bit down my lips until it bled.

"Kagami! Oi! Kagami!" A familiar voice echoed around the court. I looked around in confusion, "Aomine?" An orb appeared in front of me, "Open your eyes. Return back to your world." The ground started shaking. 'What is happening?' The orb started circling me, repeating the same message it told me. I felt a crack opened beneath me. I tried moving out the way but it was too late. Falling through the crack, I shut my eyes closed, waiting for a painful impact against the ground. It never came. I hesitantly opened my eyes to find myself back in Maji Burgers with a concerned Aomine across me. "Oi! Are you dead?" His hand waving in front of me. I swatted his hand away, "I'm alive!" Aomine retracted back into his seat, "What's wrong with you? You didn't answer me at all! Thought you actually died!" He let out a big sigh. Ignoring him, I nursed my hand between my hands, 'What just happened?' Aomine looked at me with concern, "Hey! Are you sure you're alright?" I didn't reply back right away, still confused about what just happened. Aomine didn't push me further and went back to his pile of burgers, stuffing his cheeks until he looked like a squirrel. Without knowing, a smile made its way onto my face. "What are you smiling about?" Aomine asked, after swallowing. I shook my head, "It's nothing." He shrugged his shoulders before going back to his meal. 'Why do I feel so weird?' Shaking my head once more, I dug into my meal.

Walking out of Maji Burgers, I stretched my arms above my head. Aomine followed behind me, "Man. I'm stuffed!" I pulled my phone out of my bag, checking the time [5:47 pm], "Probably should head home now." Sliding my phone back inside my bag, I turned to look at Aomine, who was staring at me. I noticed his cheeks were slightly pink, "What is it? Are you sick?" I walked up to him and placed my hand over his forehead, "You're heating up. Do you have a fever?" Aomine snapped out of his daze, turning red. "W-what are you doing?!" He yelled at me, stumbling backwards. I looked at him, "Checking your fever?" Aomine threw his hand up and placed it onto his forehead, while his other hand pointed at him, "Why were you touching me?!" I pointed right back at him, "Don't make it sound wrong!" Aomine watched me suspiciously. "Don't look at me like that, you Bakagami." Aomine retracted his hands and turned around, "Whatever, I'll see you tomorrow!" With that, Aomine had bolted off. Leaving me behind, confused, "What's up with him?" I continued watching him until he disappeared into the distance. Letting out a sigh, I began making my way home.

Today was the day of the welcoming party, that was being held by the headmistress. The week really went passed in a blink of an eye. I shrugged, not giving a care. Standing in front of the mirror, I adjusted my tie, then my suit. I wouldn't normally wear these type of things since it was hard to move in, but today was an exception. I tucked my phone and wallet into the pocket, inside the jacket. I adjusted my suit once more, making sure I looked decent before leaving the house.

The taxi pulled up in front of the school entrance. Looking outside the window, I could see students all glamoured up, head to toe. The school was covered in all types of decorations; balloons, ribbons, etc. I paid the fee for the taxi before stepping out, a gentle breeze greeting me. I started making my way towards the gym.

It was quite a large gym, larger than your average gym. 'Well, what did I expect from a rich school?' Planting myself in front of the double metal doors, I took in a deep breath before pushing it open. The inside was decorated with decorations you would see at very fancy parties. The whole gym was glowing and yelling elegant. Looking around, I noticed a certain crowd. Students were whispering and giggling. Curious I went to take a look. When I reached the students, I turned to look at what they were pointing and found myself looking straight at the Generation of Miracles. Akashi was leaning against the wall, Midorima to his right and Murasakibara to his left. Aomine and Kise were arguing in the front. Not wanting to deal with them, I hurried off into a random direction. Somehow, I ended at the food bar. I walked up to the table and gawked, 'Even the food was elegant looking!' I let out a sigh, this really isn't my type of party. 'Well whatever, guess I should eat. This is like once in a lifetime.' I grabbed a nearby plate.

While looking for a seat, I received a bunch of weird stares from surrounding students. 'What's their problem?' Shrugging, I placed my plate on an empty table and seated myself down. I clapped my hands together, "Itadakimasu!" As I start digging into my food, I felt a tap on my shoulders. I turned around to find Aomine and behind him were the rest of the Generation of Miracles. "Don't mind us~" Kise cheerfully said, plopping himself down on an empty chair beside me. Aomine followed after, seating himself to my other empty side. Soon, I found myself sitting with the Generation of Miracles. "W-w-what?!" I said out loud. Aomine yawned beside me, "What?" I threw him a glare before turning back to the rest of the group, "Why are you guys sitting here?!" Akashi placed the back of his hands under the chin, smiling at me, "Do you have a problem?' His eyes sent chills down my spine. Gulping, I furiously shook my head.

Students had started gathering around our table, whispering and pointing. I let out a big sigh, watching the group. Midorima sat beside Kise, fidgeting with his lucky item. Which today seems to be a vanilla milkshake keychain. Murasakibara sat beside Aomine, stuffing his face with snacks, as usual. As for Akashi, he was seated in between Midorima and Murasakibara, watching me. I looked away not wanting to be killed. Akashi cleared his throat, "Have you seen or heard anything, Taiga?" I knew what he meant without having to ask. Midorima stopped fidgeting with his keychain, Murasakibara stopped eating, Aomine and Kise stopped talking, waiting for me to answer. I recalled back to what happened at Maji Burgers, 'Should I tell them?' I looked at Akashi, "Well.. there was this thing that happened." He looked back, raising an eyebrow, "What thing?" Before I could reply, a voice came over the speaker. Everyone turned their attention to the stage, where a woman, around her 30s, standing on the stage. She had exquisite light blue hair, wearing an elegant off-shoulder long dress. "Kurokocchi?" I heard Kise whispered behind me. "Good evening everyone. I am Kuroko Mayumi, the headmistress of this school." Students erupted into loud applause. "Tonight, I would like to introduce you to the new student councils." Four figures walked out from behind the curtains, to the centre of the stage. I was at loss for words. Standing there. On the stage. It was no other than Kuroko himself, dressed in a suit. "Kuroko…" His name left my mouth in a whisper. Kuroko's head turned towards me as if he heard it. A small smile was plastered on his face, his eyes remained cold and empty. He turned his attention back to the students, and spoke into the microphone, "Good evening everyone. I hope you're having a wonderful night." Students cheered. "I'm Kuroko Tetsuya, the head of the Student Councils. And here to my left, are the secretary and treasurer." He gestured to the twins, handing them the microphone. Grabbing it, he announced himself, "I'm Kuroko Shu, the treasurer. Nice to meet you all." Passing it to his twin, she introduced herself next, "I'm Kuroko Shino, the secretary." Shino passed the microphone back to Kuroko, who then passed it to the person on his right, "Asano Kazuo, a pleasure to meet you all. I am the vice president." With all the introduction done, Asano gave back the microphone to Kuroko, "Let's have a wonderful year together." With that, students burst into loud applause and cheers. The student councils bowed down before making their way off stage. Kuroko stopped and looked over his shoulders towards me, giving me a smirk before he disappeared behind the curtains. My mind was unable to comprehend what had just happened. I turned over to look around the table. Everyone's eyes lingered on the stage, where Kuroko had exited off to. Jumping up from my seat, I decided to run after him. I heard Aomine yelled after me but I paid no heed and continued running.

Maneuvering myself through the crowd of students, I made my way towards the backstage. I pushed the door opened and looked around. Kuroko wasn't around. A gentle breeze caught my attention. It was coming through the opened back door. I slowly approached the door and peaked my head outside. It was dark, the rustling of the trees filled the air. The moon hid behind the dark grey clouds. Looking to my left, I noticed two figures standing near the wall. Assuming it was just some couple, I was about to look away and leave. At that moment, the moon had peaked from behind the clouds, lighting up the night. The two figures weren't a couple, they were the twins that I had saw on stage with Kuroko. I ran over to them, hoping that they would know where Kuroko was. They both stopped whispering and looked up at me, "Do you need something?" they asked in sync. Chills ran down my spine, 'Creepy…'. "Do you know where Kuroko is?" I replied, ignoring their stares. "Kuroko?" Shino tilted her head at Shu. "Where is he indeed." Shu looked at Shino. They both turned back to me, "Where is Kuroko?" I looked down at them, confused. "Don't you know where he is?" I asked them. The sounds of approaching footsteps caught my attention. I looked up to see Kuroko walking up to us. However, he seemed different. Kuroko leaned against the wall, "Hello Kagami." The vibe around him was different. It wasn't the usual kind or happy aura but instead, it was cold and scary. Including the fact that he was no longer invisible. This time, I could hear multiple footsteps running up from behind me. "Kagami!" I heard Aomine called out. I wanted to look behind me but my eyes were glued to Kuroko, who was watching me from the corner of his eyes. "Kurokocchi!" Kise exclaimed and started running up to Kuroko to hug him. However, Kise stopped in his tracks when he noticed the aura around him, "Kurokocchi…". The generation of miracles had stopped behind me. "Tetsu! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Aomine yelled at him, "Where have you been?!" Kuroko didn't reply, continuing to watch us. The twins had stepped back, also watching us. Midorima stepped forward, "Kuroko. Why did you hide from us? We were worried." Kuroko let out a hollow laugh in response, "Lies." That was when Akashi walked in front of me and stared right at Kuroko, "Enough of this childish play. Tell us Tetsuya. Where have you been? Why you leave?" Kuroko stared right back at Akashi, not moving an inch. "Oh? Did Kagami not tell you why? I mean, he was part of the reason why I left." Kuroko finally replied, after a long pause. Aomine whispered to me, "What is talking about?" Akashi stared at me over his shoulders before returning his stare back to Kuroko. "I do not know why you left but we can work it out. Come back to us Kuroko." For a second, Kuroko's stare turned into a sad gaze but it disappeared. "Come back to what Akashi? Pain? Betrayal?" Kuroko pushed himself off the wall and turned to face us. I felt my mouth dropped open. Kise gasped. The rest were speechless. "Look at what you've done." Kuroko's voice was cold. "N-no…" I whispered. Kuroko gave us a forced smile. I stared at Kuroko, crimson and cerulean eyes stared back.

Forgive me for the long wait. I think I died somewhere but now I'm back and alive. (⇀‸↼‶)

This time for sure, I'll try to get chapter four out as fast as I can!

Hoped you enjoy this chapter! (─‿‿─)


	4. Chapter 4

/ Chapter 4: I'm back~ /

Third Person's View

Akashi stood stunned-speechless, he stared at Kuroko's eyes. Same goes to the others who could only let out a gasp. Satisfied with their reactions, Kuroko spun around and walked off, leaving the stunned group behind. 'What happened to you Kuroko…?' Akashi gripped his fist in frustration as he watched Kuroko walked further and further away. He wanted to call out to him but he didn't, he couldn't. Kuroko disappeared from their sight.

Shino, who stood quietly to the side, spoke. "None of you deserve him. Kuroko had worked hard to stand beside you. He tried his best to not drag you down. He pushed himself to the limit and yet, you threw him away."

"I'm quite disappointed. Everyone around me would always tell me how amazing the Generation of Miracles was. Would you still consider yourself amazing after throwing away your own teammate? I would think not. The same goes for Seirin. Kuroko has helped your team achieve their goals, their dream. He stood by your side and never gave up. Kuroko did all that, only for your team to deem him useless." Shu added in, standing beside his sister.

With nothing left to say, Shu turned around and went to follow after Kuroko. Shino couldn't help but glare at them. People like them disgust her. Using their own teammates like a tool and throwing them away once they were no longer useful. Shino turned on her heel and ran to catch up to her brother.

Once the twins had disappeared, Akashi finally spoke. "You owe me a detailed explanation Kagami."

The day after the welcoming party, everyone gathered up at Akashi's mansion. They sat themselves down on the couch in the living room. Akashi crossed his legs with his arms crossed as he leaned back into the couch, "Care you explain?" Kagami, who sat across Akashi, gulped nervously before he started to tell them about the incident after the Winter Cup Games. Akashi's face wasn't looking too pleasant once Kagami had finished. Without saying a word, Akashi got up and disappeared into his study room, shutting the door with a slam behind him. He was, without a doubt, furious.

"In the end, you messed up just like us huh?" Aomine said, looking at Kagami. He had thought Kuroko would continue being happy if he stayed with Seirin but it seemed he was wrong, Aomine let out a sigh. Kagami could only look down in shame and admit it, "I know…"

*Bang*

Akashi slammed his fist onto the wooden desk, leaving a small dent behind. Kuroko wouldn't have been hurt twice if he hadn't thrown him away in the past. Akashi wasn't angry at anyone but himself. He leaned back into the chair, his eyes staring at the ceiling. If only he didn't mess up in the past. If only. At that moment, his phone rang. Akashi was about to decline it but stopped when he saw the caller ID. He calmed himself down before he answered the phone, "Yes father?"

"Akashi, get ready to go with me tonight. There's a business party with many big companies. Formal attire, alright? Bye." His father ended the call after he finished speaking, not giving Akashi a chance to answer. Akashi closed his phone and let out a sigh. Now wasn't the time for this but he didn't have much of a choice. He placed this phone onto the desk and began working on his homework until it was time to get ready.

Kuroko had spent half the day in his room, working and reading through some paperwork as he was now the head of the Student Council. The peace and quiet made it easier for him to focus, though it didn't last for very long. The door to his room burst open, Kuroko glanced up from his desk to see Taku strolling in and plopping himself onto the sofa. "Don't you know how to knock?" Kuroko merely said before returning his attention back to the pile of paperwork.

"My bad~" Taku replied while helping himself to some tea and snacks the maid had just brought in. "Come here Kuroko! Take a break! You've been working since morning." Taku kept pestering him until he gave in. Kuroko let out a sigh as he got up from his chair and walked over to the sofa. He took the cup of tea from Taku and drank it, "What brings you here?"

"Do I need a reason? I'm just here to visit my dear little brother~" Taku gave him a smile. Kuroko couldn't help but roll his eyes, continuing to drink his tea. After a short while, Kuroko had returned back to his desk. Taku finished off the snacks and got up to leave, waving goodbye to his dear little brother. Before he left the room, he looked back over his shoulders, "Oh right Tetsu! Mother will be returning tonight and she plans to attend this business party tonight. Father, you and I shall be attending too. Get ready soon!" With that, he rushed out the door.

Kuroko glared after him, 'Couldn't you have told me earlier.' He checked his watch before quickly working and skimming through the pile of paperwork.

Time had passed once he was done. He stacked the papers into a neat and proper pile before he pushed himself up from the desk and went to get ready.

A figure stepped off the private plane and descended down the stairs, their long blue hair trailing behind them. Upon reaching the ground, they took off their sunglasses and spoke, "I'm back my dear family~"

Yosh! Here's a short late chapter... My bad.

Hope you enjoy~ (~˘▾˘)~


	5. Chapter 5 (Part 1)

/Chapter 5: Forgiveness? (Part 1)/

Third Person's POV

Sitting in the lounge room, Kuroko sat patiently on the couch beside Taku, who was talking about who knows what. Their father, Hitoshi Kuroko, sat across them with a huge grin on his face, surrounded by a bunch of flowers. He was clearly in cloud nine. Well, who wouldn't be happy when their wife is returning home after so long?

The sound of knocking reached the ears of Hitoshi which sent him flying to the front door. Kuroko couldn't help but sigh at his father. Taku merely chucked. A short time had passed when their father returned with a woman in tow, her long blue hair flowing behind her. "Mother~" Taku called out cheerfully, getting up to hug her. "My~ If it isn't my dear Taku. Look at you, you've grown so much!" His mother, Yukari Kuroko, said as she happily patted his head. Kuroko quietly got up and walked over to them, "Welcome back Mother." He greeted her, not showing much cheerfulness as Taku. It's not like he didn't miss her but he isn't exactly able to show it. Yukari pulled Kuroko into a warm hug, stroking his head as she softly said, "Mother's back." Kuroko used to be a cheerful child, always smiling and laughing as he followed his older brother around. Where did that child go? What happened to that child? Tears threatened to spill.

Taku had noticed the sadness in her eyes and it was clear why. He too misses his lost younger brother. The one who always brought him much joy with just a smile of his. He regrets not being able to protect that smile. He still remembers the day where he had first lost a part of his younger brother. It was a painful sight to see him alone in the gym, crying. And the night when he had fully lost his precious younger brother was after the Winter Cup games.

*Flashback*

Running down the street as the rain began falling, Taku didn't stop, he couldn't care less about getting drenched. All he cared about was finding his younger brother. Earlier on, he had received a phone call from his father, who had informed him about Kuroko's disappearance. At that moment, he felt as if his heart had stopped beating. Taku dropped everything he was doing and ran out into the night to search for him, ignoring his friends' yells behind him.

Despite searching almost everywhere, he couldn't find a sign of him anywhere. His worries grew even more, "Tetsuya!" he screamed out. Taku felt his knees go weak but continued pushing himself. He needed to find his younger brother, no matter what. Drenched from head to toe, Taku decided to search the only place he hadn't search yet, and that was the park. He ran and ran until he saw the park come into the view. "Tetsuya!" he cried out as he searched throughout the park. Tears ran down his face, "Please be alright... please..." he softly whispered.

Taku ran throughout the park and past the basketball court but suddenly stopped. He noticed a small silhouette standing alone in the middle of the basketball court, looking up into the night sky. There was a chance that it was his younger brother. Holding onto that small thread of hope, Taku walked closer to them. He felt his heart starting to beat faster and faster as he took one step after another.

The tears he had been trying to hold back burst out. He would recognise that teal-hair anywhere. Taku ran up to him and pulled him into a tight hug, finally letting his all tears fall out. Kuroko gave him no response which gave Taku a strange feeling. Taku slightly stepped back, just enough to look at his younger brother's face. His eyes were empty, his face was a void of emotions. He stood lifelessly in the rain.

"Hey Tetsuya..." he softly called out, slightly shaking him. "Why aren't you responding...? What's wrong...?" Taku asked worriedly. Kuroko still didn't respond nor show any sign of emotions.

"Come on Tet... this isn't funny..." Taku said as he tried to get him to respond. He felt his heart starting to break. "Please...please Tetsuya... don't do this..." he began pleading. Taku had begun getting more and more worried as Kuroko continue not responding. "Tell big brother what's wrong... I'll help you..." He was getting more desperate as time passes. Tears burned his eyes and his hands trembled as he held tightly onto his brother's arms.

"Tetsuya! Please! Say something!" Taku cried out, his heart couldn't take it anymore. What had happened to Tetsuya for him to become like this? Taku pulled him back into a hug and cried his heart out.

Their father arrived shortly after and found his sons in the heavy rain pour, both were freezing cold. Hitoshi felt his heart dropped at the sight. He ordered his bodyguards to quickly take them into the car and drove back to their mansion. Hitoshi stayed up all night, taking care of them. Taku ended up not letting go of Kuroko, threatening to kill anyone who tried to do so. This was the very same night Kuroko had lost himself. Ever since then, Taku swore to protect him from now on. He won't allow anyone to hurt his precious younger brother anymore.

*Flashback End*

Disdain flashed in his eyes, 'If it wasn't for them, none of this would've happened.' Taku clenched his fist in anger. 'The generation of Miracles. Seirin. I'll make you pay sooner or later.' He gritted his teeth. His father and mother do not know what exactly happened. Kuroko had only told him and his cousins. He didn't want them to worry nor do anything rash. Taku took in a deep breath and tried to calm himself.

"Wonderful news! I was granted a long break, now I get to spend time with my precious babies~" Yukari patted Kuroko's and Taku's head lovingly with a warm smile on her face. "With my dear husband too~" she quickly added in once she noticed the depressing aura around her husband. Yukari stroked her sons' head once more before walking over to her husband and looped her arms around his.

"Alright, it's time to leave." Their father said as checked his watch. He escorted his wife to the car, letting her enter first before following her in. Kuroko and Taku joined in after them. And with that, they were off.

Out in the balcony, Akashi gazed up into the night sky, lost in thoughts. His mind had been occupied ever since the incident at the welcoming party. He tried to investigate the three years that had Kuroko disappeared off to but he didn't find much information, it was as if someone deliberately hid it. Well, it didn't matter, he'll find the truth soon.

Akashi took a sip of his champagne and continued gazing into the night sky. He was currently at the host's mansion for this business party. It wasn't interesting one bit, young ladies keep trying to get his attention, many people try to curry favour with his father. It was annoying. Akashi let his father deal with it while he slipped away to the balcony. He ordered his bodyguards to stop anyone from entering the balcony. Akashi was in no mood to deal with anyone. He could only drink till the night pass was what he initially thought until something caught his attention, more like someone.

A black car pulled up at the front entrance, an attendant quickly went to open the car door for the guests. A certain teal-haired young man stepped out of the car and adjusted his suit. Behind him came another teal-haired young man but his hair was slightly darker than the one in front of him. "Finally here~" Taku said carefreely. Kuroko didn't say anything and looked around, taking in the view. While doing so, his eyes landed on a figurine on the balcony. The corner of his lips curled up into a smirk, "Seems like tonight is going to be fun."Taku looked at his brother in confusion, "How so?" He followed Kuroko's gaze and the warmth in his eyes suddenly turned cold, "Akashi Seijuro." Taku never imagined him to be here tonight.

"Taku, Tetsuya, come. We're going in." Their mother called out to them. Kuroko turned away but the smirk still lingered on his face as he walked over to his parents. He stopped halfway when he noticed his older brother not following. "Taku." Kuroko called out to him. Taku, who was staring daggers at Akashi, quickly turned his attention to Kuroko. "Ah! Coming~" he forced on a cheerful smile as he caught up with his younger brother. The coldness in his eyes subdued but slightly lingered. The doorman had already checked the guestlist for our names. He quickly went to open the door for the family to enter, "Enjoy the party."

Phew. Sorry for the wait, here's another chapter~

Part 2 will be out soon! ◔ ⌣ ◔

Hope you enjoy reading this chapter~ (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)

Edit: Thank you for those who pointed it out, I didn't realise that I made Taku call his brother by his family name. That was my bad. ( ゜-゜)


	6. Chapter 5 (Part 2)

/Chapter 5: Forgiveness? (Part 2)/

Entering the Host's mansion, they were escorted into a ballroom where laughter and chatter could be heard. An exquisite crystal chandelier was hung high above in the centre of the room. White satin fabric with a layer of sheer white trimmed with gold was draped along the walls. A long clothed table was laid out filled with various gourmet snacks and desserts. The ballroom was filled with guests from companies and businesses, big and small. Guests were dressed in formal attire, drinking and chatting among each other, trying to expand their business. That was the main point of this party after all.

Waiter roamed around holding trays of glasses of champagne, offering it to the guests. Taku stood beside Kuroko and whistled out in amazement, "The host really went all out didn't they?" Kuroko nodded, agreeing with him. A waiter stopped beside them, "Would you like some champagne, sirs?" he offered with a smile, holding out the tray in front of them. Kuroko took a glass and thanked the waiter, as did Taku, who tipped him. The waiter bowed his head in appreciation before he went on his way. Kuroko leaned against the wall, sipping on his champagne, as he watched his parents thanked the host for the invitation and congratulated him on his recent marriage. From the corner of his eyes, Kuroko spotted a group of young ladies around his age staring at him and his brother. They started giggling when they noticed Kuroko glancing at them and showed their sweet and innocent smile and charm. But Kuroko paid no heed as he did not care. He stared down at his champagne, swirling it around inside his glass before consuming the rest in one gulp. Taku couldn't help but glance at him with worry, "What's on your mind?" Kuroko placed the empty glass onto a tray as a waiter walked passed and grabbed another glass of champagne. "Nothing. Don't worry about it." Kuroko replied, taking a sip of his new champagne. At this rate, Kuroko will just drink all night long. Letting out a sigh, Taku gripped Kuroko by his wrist and lead him into an unoccupied resting room. "It's no fun to keep drinking like that. Sit here, I'll return with some snacks." Taku placed down his glass onto the table and looked at Kuroko once more before he turned on his heels and left.

Kuroko's cold facade wavered for a moment, letting in a warm feeling into his heart. His eyes softened and a small smile appeared. He was happy and grateful for having such a caring brother and parents. If only the past didn't happen, then he wouldn't be this cold and empty person he is now, and he wouldn't keep making his whole family worry for him. But that's just a stupid dream. Lost in his mind, he didn't notice a presence nearby until they spoke. "I didn't know you could make those faces." Kuroko looked towards the direction of the voice, and standing at the door was Akashi Seijuro. Kuroko's eyes hardened and his smile disappeared.

"What a surprise! If it isn't Akashi Seijuro, the young man who is absolute and the leader of the Generation of Miracles." Kuroko placed a hand over his mouth with a fake shock face. "It's such a pleasure to meet you!" He gave him a bow.

Akashi strode closer, stopping a few feet in front of him, "Tetsuya."

"Quite rude of you to call me by my first name so familiarly, don't you think?" Kuroko coldly started.

"This was how I've always addressed you." Akashi calmly replied, "Don't you remember?"

"Remember what? Isn't this the first time we met? Well, besides that small encounter we had at the welcoming party, this would be the first time we've truly met." Kuroko gave him an empty smile.

Akashi's eyes slightly widened, "Tetsuya, why are you acting like this? Acting like a stranger?" Kuroko had to be lying.

Disdain filled Kuroko's eyes, "I told you not to call me by my first name, Akashi-san."

Even he was no longer calling him 'Seijuro' as he used to in the past. Kuroko had always called out to him by his first name, with a happy aura. He made the mistake not to treasure that smile and those moments. Akashi cast his eyes down, unable to look at Kuroko in his cold and empty eyes. The sides of Kuroko's lips curled up into a smirk. It was quite fun seeing the all-mighty Akashi act like this. Though the fun doesn't last.

After a short silence, Kuroko spoke, "You're no fun anymore. I'm bored." He took a sip of his champagne and seated himself down, leaning back into the sofa, "What do you want?"

Akashi was startled at the sudden change of attitude. The side of Kuroko he had seen just before was already cold but this Kuroko was colder. Is this the result of our mistakes? Gripping his fist with guilt, he started, "You disappeared for three years after the Winter Cup Games." Akashi caught a flash of hurt in Kuroko's eyes before it was quickly concealed. "Where did you go? What happened to you? We searched everywhere for you but we couldn't find a single trace of you." The questions that had been swirling around his mind for so long.

Kuroko stayed silent, his eyes narrowing down at Akashi. "Where I disappeared off to is none of your concern. As for what happened, shouldn't you be asking Kagami instead?" He finally replied.

'Kagami? What did Kagami have to do with the disappearance of Kuroko?'

"Judging from your reaction, it seems he didn't mention anything. Well, that's not your problem." Kuroko placed down his glass onto the table before leaning back into the sofa, "Now that I answered your nonsense, you can leave." He gestured towards the door.

But Akashi made no movement to leave. "What? You still want something else?"

Akashi took in a deep breath before speaking, "Tet-Kuroko-san, about our past, I know I and the rest of the group have said hurtful things which we can't take back but, I hope you will forgive me, forgive us and turn over a new leaf."

A humourless laugh echoed throughout the room, "A new leaf? And what happens If I don't forgive you all?"

"Then we will continue seeking your forgiveness, no matter what," Akashi said hopefully.

Before Kuroko could reply, Taku burst into the room holding a plate filled with various snacks, just as he said earlier. "Tetsuya~ I brought back some delicious snacks! Here, let your brother feed you…" His words trailed off upon noticing Akashi. His cheery mood turned sour, "What is **he** doing here?" Taku's eyes narrowed and his voice laced with coldness. Kuroko took a quick glance at Taku before turning his attention back to Akashi, "No matter what?" Akashi nodded his head firmly. Sliding one of his hand into his suit jacket, Kuroko pulled out a dagger and placed in front of Akashi. "Cut yourself."

His eyes widened as he stared down at the dagger and back up at Kuroko, "What?"

"I said, cut yourself." There was a malicious glint in Kuroko's eyes.

Taku sent a concerned look towards his brother but Kuroko ignored it. "Well? Didn't you say no matter what"

"I did but isn't this going too far?" Akashi questioned, still startled.

Kuroko scoffed, "Already going back on your words? Not surprised."

To prove him wrong, Akashi stepped forward and reach out for the dagger on the table. He held it in his hands, not sure what to do. If he cut himself, Kuroko would forgive him. Those words repeated itself in his mind. Just as Akashi placed the tip of the dagger against the skin, a voice boomed across the room."What's the meaning of this!?"

Now standing at the door was no other than Kuroko's and Taku's father, Hitoshi. A confused look upon his face as he looked around, from the dagger in Akashi's hand, then at Akashi, Taku and finally Tetsuya. Kuroko tsked, "Just when it got to the good part." He pushed himself up from the sofa and walked over to Akashi, taking back his dagger. "Since the fun is over, I'll excuse myself and return home first." Without another word, he strode out of the resting room, sending a quick glance at his father.

"Taku, explain this," Hitoshi demanded.

"It's Tetsuya's problem." Taku merely said but to be honest, he was glad his father arrived when he did. Yes, he hated Akashi for taking his precious brother away but what Tetsuya did just now was a bit too far. "If you want to know, you can ask him." He jerked his head towards Akashi, "And you, stay the hell away from my brother." Taku sent one final glare at him before following after Tetsuya, still holding the plate of snacks. He really wanted to feed his brother.

Hitoshi watched both his sons disappear from the room, leaving him and the red-haired young man behind. He turned towards him, "How are you involved with my sons?" From the look, Hitoshi could already tell who he was, Akashi Seijuro. He remembered seeing him in Tetsuya's old photos which were burned shortly after the incident. Akashi, once again, took in a deep breath and began explaining everything. Hitoshi felt anger in him rise as he listened. Once Akashi had finished, Hitoshi couldn't help but say, "You broke him. He lost his passion for basketball. He cried and cried. You…" He gripped his fist, "Was it also your fault after the Winter Cup?"

Akashi shook his head, That...I don't know."

"I see." Hitoshi stayed quiet for a moment. "Then if you'll excuse me." With that, he turned on his heels and left. Akashi plopped himself down onto the sofa, letting out a sigh as he brushed a hand through his hair. "What a mess." He muttered. "Taiga Kagami. We're going to have a long talk."

For the rest of the night, Akashi stayed in the resting room, ordering and drinking champagne until his father found him and dragged him home. Akashi dropped back onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling, an arm resting on top his forehead. "Tetsuya…" he murmured as the darkness took over and sent him into a deep sleep.

I honestly don't know how many times I have rewritten this whole thing until I was satisfied. Tbh, I'm still not exactly satisfied with it but it will do for now.

Thank you for reading.


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